Take a look at our November newsletter!
NOVEMBER 2022
6358 EDGEMERE BLVD. EL PASO, TEXAS 79925 915-562-8525
11855 PHYSICIANS DR. EL PASO, TEXAS 79936 915-855-6466
WAIT … IT’S BEEN 20 YEARS ALREADY?! This Conversation With a Patient Blew My Mind
A few months ago, I was evaluating one of our older patients when the topic of her first visit came up. I’ve seen her almost a dozen times for different injuries and illnesses over the years, and I couldn’t remember when she initially walked through our doors. “Do you remember how long ago that was?” I asked. She took a minute to think. “Well, I retired 20 years ago, and I was still working when I started to see you,” she said. “So, it has been at least two decades!” For a moment, I couldn't believe it. How was that possible? Then, I remembered Nov. 1 this year marks Spine & Rehab’s 25th anniversary. This woman must have been one of our earlier patients. I love seeing patients return to our team for help year after year, but it’s also bittersweet. If they come to see us, that typically means they’ve been hurt or need help recovering from surgery — and it's never pleasant to see a friend go through those hard times. Still, I’m grateful this patient and many others continue to choose Spine & Rehab for quality care. It’s the greatest compliment they can give us, followed closely by sending friends and family our way. DON’T WASTE YOUR FREE PT! If you’ve already met your annual insurance deductible, your PT visits may be FREE through the end of the year! Take advantage of those visits before your policy resets in 2023. Similarly, if you have a set number of covered visits per year, make sure you use them all to fix your aches and pains before December ends. Even if you feel fantastic, proactive therapy now can save you from injuries later. Call the Spine & Rehab location near you to book an appointment today.
In the last 25 years, my team and I have treated three generations of some families, from the kids all the way up to the grandparents. It’s pretty neat to help grandpa stand up from his wheelchair one day and treat junior’s sprained ankle from Little League the next. When I started Spine & Rehab Specialists 25 years ago, this was exactly the kind of practice I imagined. I was a one-man show at the time, but I dreamed of a place where I could provide the best PT possible — a spot on the cutting edge of the field where I could proudly invite my own family. That is still the atmosphere I strive for, but I no longer do it alone! The one-man show part of the business went out the window long ago. Spine & Rehab has 11 therapists and two locations today, with a third location hopefully opening next year. To celebrate our 25th anniversary — and moving our second location to our new building — we’re hosting an open house for local doctors and their staff at our clinic on Physician’s Drive. We’ll have snacks, drinks, and music to commemorate the milestone! I’m so proud of the growth of my small business. With a team of 11 PTs, I can help 10 times as many patients as I could on my own! Everyone who works here has the same mindset I do: They want to use PT to make the El Paso community as fit, healthy, and happy as possible. Together, we’ve made it through 25 years and a global pandemic. We came out the other side of that pandemic not weaker, but stronger, with cutting-edge diagnostics and state- of-the-art programs that help us identify and treat the sources of pain faster than ever. Thank you for coming along with me on this journey. I can’t wait to sit with one of my patients 20 years from now and reminisce on their first visit in 2022.
Happy holidays!
–Harry Koster
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IS YOUR HEAD IN A FOG? 4 WAYS TO CLEAR THE HAZE
Do you ever feel as if your head is in the clouds? Brain fog due to stress can make it difficult to retain information, remember little details, concentrate, and react quickly. If your mind feels a little sluggish and a bit off, here are some tips to get you feeling like yourself again! Nourish your brain. Did you know what you eat has a direct effect on your brain function? Poor food choices can negatively impact the way your brain works, but fueling it with minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins provides positive brain energy! For example, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and vitamin B-12 are essential for memory and brain function. Are you eating foods with those nutrients? Focus on getting better sleep. According to the American Sleep Association, between 50–70 million
adults in the U.S. have a sleep disorder, and this could lead to feeling disoriented, sluggish, and mentally foggy the next day. To promote better sleep, here are some tips: • Develop a sleep schedule • Avoid hitting the snooze button • Exercise once a day • Begin dimming artificial light in the early evening • Promote calm evenings • Sleep in the dark • Charge your electrical devices outside of the bedroom Stress less. Stress can make it difficult to form fluid thoughts, concentrate, and become or stay motivated. In fact, when you’re stressed out, you may lose some control over yourself. To reduce your stress and combat brain fog, be realistic about your goals and what you
can handle. Concentrate on just one task at a time; remember to breathe, smile, and laugh; and advocate for a healthy work-life balance. Exercise regularly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, getting active is not only good for your muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, cardiovascular system, and overall health, but it can also work wonders for your cognitive health. It’s been linked to improved memory, reduced depression and anxiety, and better problem-solving. This doesn’t mean you need to be in the gym every day pumping iron! Simply walking, gardening, or swimming is enough to get your heart pumping and endorphins flowing! Being consistent is key. These tips are sure to help you combat brain fog and take care of your body so it can take care of you in the long run!
4 NUTRITIONAL MYTHS DEBUNKED
With access to the internet, social media, and the news, we’re constantly surrounded by information, and it’s hard to tell what we should or shouldn’t do. But when it comes to what we put in our bodies, it's not a good idea to experiment. Let's take a look at some of the most common nutritional myths buzzing around and what makes them dubious! You should avoid high-fat foods. When you visit the supermarket, “fat-free” food options line the shelves. Many people follow a low-fat diet in hopes that it will help them lose weight and maintain optimal health. But, instead of avoiding fat altogether, aiming for a diet balanced with healthy fats is the way to go. In fact, fat provides many benefits, including protecting our organs, promoting proper growth and development, and maintaining cell membranes. Everyone should be gluten-free. For those with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, avoiding gluten — the protein present in wheat, rye, and barley — is necessary. However, for everyone else, whole-wheat products are beneficial to our diets.
It’s also important to note that when gluten is removed, it’s commonly substituted with refined starches, sugar, and salt.
It’s impossible to eat healthy on a budget. With proper planning and a little extra time spent in the kitchen, nourishing your body doesn’t have to break the bank. By planning meals around sales, shopping seasonally for produce, purchasing frozen fruits and veggies, and sticking to shopping lists, you’ll be off to a good start! Eating after a certain time in the evening is bad. Late-night snacking can surely lead to weight gain or can hinder weight loss efforts, but it’s not because of the time of day. It’s all about how many calories you’ve consumed in the day and why you’re eating. In the evening, it’s more common to get the munchies out of boredom, habit, or craving rather than actual hunger. Don’t let nutritional disinformation get the best of you. Before trying out a new dietary recommendation or altering your routine, always do your research and check with your doctor — you’ll be glad you did!
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A Life-Changing Secret The Benefits of Low-Impact Activity for Aging Adults
Aerobic Activities Endurance activities such as swimming, jogging, walking, and bike riding are all great options for boosting your cardiovascular function and building stamina. According to the CDC, adults who are 65 years or older should get at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week — or 30 minutes five times a week. Staying active into your golden years is essential for your mental and physical health. It can prevent health complications and enable you to keep up with your children and grandchildren for years to come.
As we age, it's important to remain active and maintain a healthy combination of strength training, aerobic activity, and flexibility exercises. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), aging adults benefit greatly from regular exercise. However, you may find that there are certain movements you can no longer safely do or that your range of motion just isn't what it used to be when you were younger. Low-impact activity is a great way to reduce the strain exercise can put on your joints while still allowing your body to reap the benefits. If you’re looking for some ideas or fresh workouts to incorporate into your routine, here are some that use safe strength and resistance training, proper stretching practices, aerobic exercise, and highly beneficial mobility work. Strength Training Don’t worry, we aren’t talking about bench-pressing 150 pounds! Instead, situps, pullups, wall pushups, squats,
single-leg stands, and stair climbing are all different types of low-impact body weight exercises that you can do at home without any equipment. They will help you burn body fat and reverse muscle loss. If you’d like to incorporate strength training, opting for hand weights is a great option. Yoga Yoga improves your flexibility, builds muscle, strengthens and stabilizes your core, and benefits your joints. If you’re new to yoga, don’t worry — there are many yoga programs specifically designed for new yogis or older adults. Pilates Similar to yoga, Pilates is extremely gentle on your joints, but it incorporates a bit more strength training. The focus is on your core, but Pilates also works your arms and legs while also improving your flexibility and posture. It can be done with or without equipment such as yoga balls, rings, and weights.
Lentil Bolognese Rich and robust, this plant-based meal is full of flavor and perfect for those cool autumn days.
TAKE A BREAK!
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
• 1-lb box pasta, any kind • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, diced • 1 1/2 cups diced carrots • 1 1/2 cups diced celery • 4–6 garlic cloves, chopped • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/2 tsp pepper
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. 2. In a large pot, heat olive oil
over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until fragrant. Lower heat to medium, add carrots, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, chili flakes, and Italian herbs. 3. Add tomato paste and cook down for a few minutes. Now add the lentils, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and hemp seeds. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, and simmer until lentils are tender. 4. Cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, then stir in the balsamic vinegar before adjusting the seasonings to your liking. When that is done, pour over the pasta and enjoy.
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes • 1 tbsp Italian herbs • 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1 1/4 cups lentils • 3 tomatoes, diced • 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth • 3/4 cup hemp seeds • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Inspired by FeastingAtHome.com
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915-562-8525 | www.SpineRehab.net 6358 Edgemere Blvd. El Paso, Texas 79925
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. Spine & Rehab Is Turning 25!
2. Combating Brain Fog
Common Nutritional Myths
3. Low-Impact Exercise for Aging Adults Lentil Bolognese 4. 5 Signs You’re Doing Too Much Cardio
Cardio: Friend or Foe? 5 SIGNS YOU’RE OVERDOING IT ON CARDIO
If you love the results you see from your cardio workouts, it’s possible you might want to increase how often you work out. But too much of a good thing can be detrimental, which includes cardio!
However, when you’re engaging in an activity familiar to your body, especially when it comes to cardio, you shouldn’t become sore as your body adapts. If you’re constantly feeling sore, this is your body’s way of asking for a break! Your heart rate is fast. Your resting heart rate should be slow and relaxed. If you notice it stays high for a period of continuous days, this is a dangerous health concern that occurs when your heart forgets how to relax. This means it’s time to slow down — literally! Your easy days are becoming hard. You’d think the more you do something, the easier it’d get. While this makes sense most of the time, when you overdo it and don’t allow your body enough proper recovery time, you may feel more challenged than usual, even with light cardio. So, how much cardio should you really be aiming for? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults should get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week. While cardio is pivotal for our health, too much cardio will do more harm than good!
Here are five signs you're doing too much cardio and need to give your routine a breather.
You’re fatigued. Overdoing cardio exercises increases the levels of stress hormones in our bodies and can lead to constantly feeling run down. There’s only so much stress we can place on our muscles and joints before our body lets us know it’s had enough! Your weight loss has plateaued or become sluggish. Excessive cardio can lead to a loss in muscle mass, which hinders your body’s ability to effectively burn fat and drastically slows weight loss. You’re constantly sore. When you first use a muscle group you haven’t used in a while or change up the exercise or weight, soreness is common.
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